Essay on Margaret Atwood’s Rape Fantasies

Damarcus Fitzhugh Lenore Harris ENG 001B 11/18/2012 In most short stories of the past thither halt always been Heroes and Villains good vs. evil. Whether its the innocent Hansel and Gretel vs. the evil bathroomnibalistic witch authors tended to paint the line separating the two through their uses of certain committal to writing tools. The point Atwood take in charges to drive into the reader is wo manpowers naivety and overall background of ball up. Marg atomic number 18t Atwood, author of Rape Fantasies, relies heavily on Irony and Characterization to secure her point across. In the boloney Estelle, the narrator and main character, shargons her break fantasies on .In all of them she is a victim, later in the story, we find out that the antecedent she has these thoughts almost macrocosm deflowerd is so that if she eer is in a situation like one where she might get fumbled, she wants to be nimble to avoid it and protect herself. This shows an unrealistic and naive vie w on what coddle really is. She imagines the rapist to be the victim instead of her. As mentioned in the text, all the rapists she fantasizes about are victims of some sort of mental or physical trait considered undesir fitted Atwood uses characterization, specifically in Estelle, with whom she characterizes as condescending, grim and negative at times.She is a young office worker who notes how common the subject Rape has become in womens magazines. Estelle is playing a spunky with her co-workers over their lunch hour, when Chrissy, a muliebrity from Estelles office, brings up the topic of rape fantasies. Estelle would rather just continue playing, but instead, the small group of ladies decides to go around the table sharing their own rape fantasies. (1) Darlene, the oldest, and the only part women of the group finds these fantasies revolting and ends up turning her back on the separate ladies. later she returns, unable to resist the interesting taboo) (1) Chrissy and Sondra are very bore to share their rape fantasies but after they do Estelle informs them that they were not authoritative rape fantasies but merely romantic fantasies she then describes a story of a man jumping her in a dark alley, or sneaking into her house when she is sick in bed. In all of Estelles stories the men are pathetic, lonely individuals who have something wrong with them either mentally or physically.Here we see Estelle victimize the rapist in order to protect herself. She believes she can talk herself out of being raped. After sharing all the rape fantasies the story goes into a deeper monologue and a new light is range on why Estelles fantasies (1) all end the way they do. It is because she discovers that after acquiring to know someone and getting a glimpse of what they think and how they feel there is no way a person would be able to rape the other this theory contradicts almost every book that says women are usually raped by someone they know.Irony is introduced wit hin the conversations the women have. Moving from woman to woman, Darlene calling the entire thing disgusting, Greta describing a Tarzan-like situation, Chrissy describing hers in a bath, when Estelle, ever the voice of reason, informs them that what they are describing are sexual fantasies Listen . . . those arent rape fantasies. I mean, you arent getting raped, its just some computed tomography you havent met formally who happens to be more attractive than Derek Cummins . . and you have a good time, rape is when theyve got a knife or something and you turn int want to. (1) Angered, the other women insist that she tell them hers. Content, Estelle then describes her rape fantasy where she deflects her rapist by squirting lemon juice from a plastic bottle in his eyes (You should hear the one about the Easy Off Cleaner), and the one where this short, ugly fellow comes up and grabs my arm . . .I say, Oh for Christ sake, and he starts to cry, which prompts a wave of sympathy in Estell e. And therere more, all with Estelle stopping her attacker through lecture to him (Ive just found out I have leukemia), or talk of the town him out of it. (1) As the story continues, we become aware that Estelle is talking to someone in addition to the readerI hope you breakt mind me holding my nose like this . . . and that person is in all probability a man (two times Estelle says, But I guess its different for a guy).As the story ends, we realize that Estelle has been in a bar, talking to a man she had just met, she worries about possibly being raped by him. Like, how could a fellow do that to a person hes just had a long conversation with, once you let them know youre human, you have a life too, I dont see how they could go ahead with it, right? (Last Paragraph) We are left wondering whether this entire story is Estelles deliberate inventions, her attempt to control a dangerous interaction. Citation Atwood, Margaret. Rape Fantasies. S. l. S. n. , .. . Print.